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WRITING DESK;

Patented Dec. '12. l 1 882;

" WITNESSES i. mas. W W

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES J. J OHNSTON, ()F QOLUMBI ANA, OHIO, ASSIGNOE TO THE UNITED STATES'IMPROVEMEN]? COMPANY, (LIMITED,) OF SAME PLACE.

WRITING-DESK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 268,799, dated December 12, 1882.

Application filed February 23, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom "it may concern Be it known that 1, JAMES J. JOHNSTON, of Oolumbiana, in the county of Columbiana and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Writing-Desks; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention relates to an improvement in writing-desks; and it consists in constructing the body of the desk with compartments for books, slate, and writing material, and a pen and pencil receptacle, all constructed of castiron and in a single piece and mounted upon a hollow pedestal of cast-iron, made in a sinple piece, said body furnished with a hinged lid and bookshelf, constructed of wood, and said shelf surrounded with an ornamental castiron guard, all of which will hereinafter more fully and at large appear.

To enable others skilled in the art with which my invention is most nearly connected to make and use it, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

In the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, Figure 1 is a perspective View of my improvement in writingdesks. Fig. 2 is a vertical section at line as of Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section at line 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail section.

Reference being had to the accompanying drawings, A representsthe body of the desk, having compartments B O for books, which compartments extend down below the floor of the compartment D, which is for slate and writing material, in front of which compartment 1) is a receptacle, E, for pen and pencil. The compartments B and O extend below the floor of the compartment D for the purpose of preventing the books interfering with the slate and writing material placed in the compartment D.

It is a matter of observation that in schools much confusion and annoyance are occasioned at the commencement of school and call of class by searching for books or slates or tacle for said articles, which often become mixedthat is to say, the books lap over on the slate and writing-paper, and the pen and pencil hide under the slate, paper, or books, and the adjusting of said articles or searching for the desired article causes noise and confusion. Now, one of the objects of my invention is to have separate compartments for the books, slate, writing material, and pen and pencil, and yet the whole exposed to view upon the raising of the lid;

The body A, with its several compartments, is constructed of cast-iron and in a single piece by the molding and casting process. The receptacle E for pen and pencil, when viewed in cross-section, forms the half of a tube, which receptacle imparts strength and stiffness to the forward edge of the compartment D between the compartments B G, and prevents the warping ot the casting at that point. The bodyA is mounted upon a pedestal, F, and is secured to the upperend of said pedestal'by means of screws, as indicated at a. The pedestal Fis hollow, and constructed of cast-iron and in a single piece by the molding and casting process. By having the compartments B and O extending below the floor of the compartmentD room is secured forthe lower limbs of the scholar and the body of the desk brought down on the pedestal. The lid G is constructed of wood, and is hinged to the shelf H, which is also constructed of wood, and secured to the body A by means of screws, as indicated at c. The ornamental guard I, which surrounds the rear sides and ends of the shelf H, is constructed of castiron, and is secured to the shelf H by screws passing through the lugs d.

A desk constructed as hereinhel'ore described will'be strong, firm, and durable, and 99 not liable to injury bythe cutting and backing process due to the whittlingpropensities ot school-boys.

The advantages of the desk hereiubefore described will meet a want com mon to schools, and said desk can be manufactured cheaply and with great facility.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is- IOU In a'writing-desk, the body A, having coinforined in a single piece for supporting said partments B (J D, the compartments B 0 exbody A, substantially as and for the purpose tending below the floor of compartment D, set forth. and receptacle E, said body constructed of JAMES J. JOHNSTON. 5 cast-iron in a single piece and furnished with Witnesses:

hinged wooden lid and shelf H, having a T. D. D. ()UBAND, guard, I, and a cast-iron hollow pedestal, F, FRED. G. DIETERICH. 

